Waste-reclaimer.



S. D. CRUSE.

WASTE RECLAIMER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14. 1911.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918;

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SAMUEL I). CRUSE, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

WASTE-RECLAIMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (lot. as, rare.

Application filed July 14, 1917. Serial No. 180,522.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL D. Cruise, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Louisville, county of Jefferson, and State ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWaste-Reclaimers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to waste reclaimers adapted to be used inconnection with bat forming machines or other fiber manipulatingapparatus of a similar nature.

When fiber handling machines, such as bat formers are in service, somematerial will fall through to the floor, whereasit is difficult ofaccess, it is allowed to accumulate until necessity requiresits'removal, in the meantime dirt and oil which falls thereon from themachine, renders it unfit for use, until cleaned.

An object of this invention, is to provide a device adapted to beinstalled under, and in connection with apparatus now in service, whichwill gather up the fiber as fast as it falls on the floor and return itto the hopper of the machine.

A further object is the provision of a device of the character describedwhich shall be economical in construction, durable in operation andefficient in service.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists ofthe novel construotion and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, whereinand modifications may be resorted to as come within the scope of theclaims appended hereunto. v

Referring now to the drawing, wherein similar reference charactersdesignate like parts in the different views, Figure 1, is a plan view ofthe device as positioned for service, the relative position of themachine with which it is associated being indicated by dotted lines:Fig. 2, a side elevation of Fig. 1: Fig. 3, a section on line 33 of Fig.1: Fig. 4, a front elevation of the device.

The device is intended to be installed di rectly on the floor under andalong side of a previously erected machine, the feed hopper -1- of whichis indicated by dotted lines, while the bottom of the body of themachine is indicated by a dotted line 2 (see Fig. 2). The constructionof the device is as follows: A pair of brackets ft and 5 are secured tothe floor, in spaced relationship, at one side of the machine at thehopper end thereof. On the other side of the machine and in alinementwith the first bracket, a third bracket 6 is positioned. A shaft -7-journaled in these brackets carries a screw conveyer 8, and a bar 9-connects the brackets 4:, 5, and 6. A plate of sheet metal 10--, securedalong one edge to the bar 9 extends downward and forward, following thecurvature of the screw conveyer, forming what may be called a troughtherefor, and is secured to the floor by suitable means such as nails orscrews 11. An elevator leg 12 erected beside the feed hopper, extends upward from the end of the trough, and is provided at its upper end with aspout 13 which discharges into the hopper. A conveyer belt -14, withinthe leg is driven from the shaft 7 by means of a sprocket chain 15-. Ashaft 16-- journaled in the brackets 4: and 5, is provided on its outerend with a sprocket wheel -17, which provides means whereby power may besupplied from a suitable source, usually a moving part of the machine. Apinion --l8 on the shaft 16 meshes with a corresponding pinion on theshaft 7 whereby power is transmitted to the last named shaft. A shaft20- is journaled in the brackets 4 and 5 and in a bracket -21-positioned a spaced distance from the bracket 5. A shaft 22 is journaledin the bracket 6 and a bracket 23 spaced inward therefrom. The twoshafts 20 and 22 are in axial alinement and are driven uniformly andcontinuously from the shaft 7 by means of sprocket chains --2l-. Lugs25- integral with and extended forward from the brackets 21 and 23 areadapted for the rigid attachment thereto of the rear ends of parallellongitudinal bars Q6. The forward ends of these bars are carried bybrackets -27-, which are provided with slots -28- through which the barsextend and in which they are secured by suitable means such as setscrews -29. This arrangement is used in order to adapt the device forinstallation in connection with machines of different lengths. Thedevice is supplied with bars 26 of suflicient length to permit it to beused with the largest bat forming machine. If the device is to beinstalled in connection with a smaller machine, the brackets 27, areslid along the bars until they are in the proper position relative tothe machine, secured on the bars by means of set screws, and thenfastened to the floor. Pins 30 project forward from the bracket 27 andcarry sleeves -31 which may be adjusted in position th'erealong by meansof set screws -3c. These sleeves carry bearings 23 which are formedintegral therewith, in which a shaft -3'-l is journaled. Sprocket wheels-35' are mounted 011 this shaft near each end thereof. Sprocket wheels86 are mounted respectively on the inner ends of the shafts 20 and 22,in alinenient with the sprocket wheels 35 on the shaft 34. A pair ofdrag chains -3'7 are trained about the sprocket wheels 35 and 3 and dragbars 39- are secured to said chains at spaced intervals therealong. Inoperation the travel of the drag chains is such that the drag bars move,in proximity to the floor, from the front to the rear, gathering fiber,that falls from the machine and draggiiig it to the screw conveyor whichdelivers it to the conveyor belt which carries it up the elevator legand deposits it in the spout down Which it slides into the hopper of themachine. As the fiber is drawn up along the bottom of the elevator legit passes over a reticulated position --l0- through which any dirt ordust carried along will fall.

It is to be Observed that the waste material is delivered to the screweonveyer along substantially its entire length, and that there is noshaft in the way'to obstruct free delivery thereto as thesprocket wheels36 are on the inner ends of the shafts 20 and 22.

Having thus described my invention so that any one skilled in the artpertaining thereto may make and use the same I claim:

1. In a waste reclainier, a main shaft, a screw conveyor carriedthereby, a pair of intermediate short shafts mounted coaxially, a spaceddistance from and parallel with the main shaft near the respective endsthereof, and adapted to be driven thereby, a sprocket on the inner endof each of said short shafts, a pair of parallel bars, means forsuporting the inner ends of said bars in proximity to the short shafts,brackets provided with slots through which the outer ends of the barspass, a pin extended forward from each of said brackets, a sleeveadjustably positioned on said pin, bearings carried by said sleeves, ashaft rotatably mounted in said bearings, sprockets positioned on saidshaft, said sprockets being in alinement with the sprockets on theintermediate shafts, chains trained about the sprocket Wheels, and barsattachedto the chains at spaced intervals therealong.

2. In a Waste reclaime'r, a pair of brackets in spaced relationship, athird bracket distant from said pair, a main shaft rotatably mounted insaid brackets, a screw conveyer carried by said shaft, a pair ofintermediate short shafts co-axially mounted parallel with the mainshaft, the outer ends of said intermediate shafts journaled respectivelyin said pair of brackets and in said distant bracket, brackets in whichthe inner ends of the intermediate shafts are journaled, said shaftsadapted to be driven from the main shaft, bars secured to and extendingrespectively from the last named brackets in parallel relationship,another pair of brackets provided with slots through which said barsextend, means wherebythe bars may be secured in said slots, pinsextended forward from the last named brackets, sleeves positioned onsaid pins and adapted to be adjusted therealong, bearings carried bysaid sleeves, a shaft journaled in said bearings, sprockets securedrespectively on said shaft and 011 the intermediate shafts, chainstrained about said sprocket wheels and bars attached to said chains atspaced intervals therealong.

3. A pair of brackets disposed in spaced relationship, a rail rigidlyattached to and extending from each bracket, a second pair of bracketsprovided with slots in which said rails are ad'justably secured, a stubshaft extended from each of said a last mentioned brackets, sleevesadjustably positioned on said shafts and co-axially disposed journalbearings carried by said sleeves.

SAMUEL D. CRUSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents meatatldressing'the Commissioner of Patents,

washing-ton, Die?

